Belgium, Vol. 1 (of 2)

by Sir James Emerson Tennent

The two banks, east and west of the Rhine, present at this moment a singular and striking illustration of the opposite effects of the cultivation or neglect of this principle in modern manufacture. To the right, we have the numerous little industrious states and principalities of Western Germany, each ambitious of acquiring manufacturing power, and each possessing it to a certain extent; but each unable, till lately, to succeed or prosper, owing to the narrowness of its individual bounds; till, at last, awakened to a consciousness of their real and actual wants, they, by one simultaneous movement, levelled every intervening barrier, and threw their united territories into the one grand area of the Prussian Commercial League; the success of which has hitherto realized their utmost expectations.

On the left of the Rhine we had, ten years ago, Belgium and Holland enjoying that union which Germany has but lately attained, and reaping all the advantages which it was possible to derive from it—till, in the “madness of the hour,” the latter undid the very bonds of her prosperity, reversed the process by which Germany is rising to prosperity, and, resorting to repeal and separation, she has lost, as a matter of course, every advantage which she had drawn from union and co-operation. A similar proceeding cannot fail to inflict similar calamities upon Ireland; and the same destruction of her manufactures which has followed the exclusion of Belgium from the markets and the colonies of Holland, would inevitably overtake the manufacturers of Ireland, if placed upon the footing of a stranger and a rival in the ports and colonies of Great Britain.

It is with an ardent hope that the question of the Repeal of the Union in Ireland may be tested by arguments such as these, by those who will pause to weigh it at all, that I have ventured to bring before its advocates the real condition of that country which their own leader has selected for their example and their model. And conscious of the deep interest which your Lordship has ever taken in the condition of Ireland, and your intimate acquaintance with her wants and her resources, I am anxious to recommend my exertions to notice by the prestige of your name.

At the same time, as I have never submitted to you in conversation or otherwise the contents of these volumes, it is possible that you may dissent from opinions which I have ventured to express. But my object has been merely to collect facts as to the influence of the recent revolution, and I neither discuss the policy of the settlement of Holland as concluded at the Congress of Vienna, nor question the prudence of those governments in Europe, which, after the events of 1830, found it necessary to put an end to hostilities by concurring in the independence of Belgium.

I remain,
My dear Lord,
Most truly yours,
J. EMERSON TENNENT.

17, Lower Belgrave Street, Belgrave Square, London, February, 22, 1841.

ANNONCE.

The details regarding the commerce and manufactures of Belgium, which will be found in the following pages, are the result of personal enquiry, corrected by the annual statistical returns, published by the Belgian Government, and confirmed by the labours of M. Briavionne in a recent work, to which I have frequently referred—“De L’Industrie en Belgique.” It may, also, give them some additional weight, to add, that the opinions expressed, arose out of visits made to the principal manufacturing districts, accompanied by two gentlemen of extensive practical acquaintance with the manufacturers of Great Britain; Mr. Thomson of Primrose, near Clitheroe, and Mr. J. Mulholland, of Belfast, a member of a family, the extent of whose machinery and productions in the staple commodity of Ireland—the linen trade—is, I believe, the greatest in the kingdom. And though these volumes, or their contents, have not actually been submitted to their inspection, I believe that I have their perfect concurrence in the sentiments which they embody, upon the subject of the trade and manufactures of Belgium.

CONTENTS
OF THE
FIRST VOLUME.

CHAPTER I.
Ostend, the Harbour—Canal Docks—Police—Economyof a private carriage for a party on the continent—Generalaspect of Ostend—Effluvia—Siege in1604—Fortifications—Promenade—Sands and sea-bathing—Commerce—Bruges,the railroad—Belgiumnaturally suited to railroads—Old canal travellingto Bruges superseded—Appearance of thecity—Its style of ancient houses—The streets—Canalsand gardens—Squares—Style of public edifices—ResemblesPisa—Ancient history of Bruges—Its oldpalaces—Marriages of Charles the Rash and Maryof Burgundy—Singular marriage custom of the middleages—House in which the Emperor Maximilianwas confined—Residences of Edward IV. of England,and of Charles II.—Commercial greatness ofBruges—The Hanseatic League—Her tapestries—Theorder of the Golden Fleece instituted in herhonour—Saying of the Queen of Philip the Fair—Storyof the Burghers at the court of John ofFrance—Her present decay—Air of reduced nobility—Costumeof the middle classes—Grave demeanourof the citizens—No traces of the Spaniards to befound in the Low Countries—Flemish sculptures inwood—Pictures—No modern paintings in Bruges—Collectionin the Church of St. Sauveur—Characteristicsof the early Flemish school—The paintings inthe Museum—Statue of Van Eyck—His claim to bethe inventor of oil painting—Collection in the Chapelof the Hospital of St. John—Story of Hans Memling—Thecabinet of St. Ursula—The folding-doorsof the Flemish paintings—The Hospital of St. John—Statueby Michael Angelo—Tombs of Mary ofBurgundy and Charles the Rash—The towerof Les Halles—Carillon—Splendid view—The Palaisde Justice—Superb carved mantel-piece—Hotelde Ville—Its statues destroyed by the French revolutionists—Diamondsetters—Comparison ofBruges and Tyre—Mr. Murray’s hand-books—Themanufacture of lace in Belgium.	[1]
CHAPTER II.
Bruges a cheap residence—Tables-d’Hôte, their influenceupon society—Canal from Bruges to Ghent—Absenceof country mansions—Gardens—Appearanceof Ghent—M. Grenier and M. de Smet deNaeyer—The Conseil de Prud’hommes, its functions—Copyrightof designs in Belgium—The linentrade of Belgium—Its importance—Great valueof Belgian flax—Its cultivation—Revenue derivedfrom it—Inferiority of British flax—Anxiety of thegovernment for the trade in linen—Hand-spinners—Spinningby machinery—Société de la Lys—Flowergardens—The Casino—Export of flowers—Generalaspect of the city—Its early history—Vast wealthexpended in buildings in the Belgium cities accountedfor—Trading corporations—Turbulence of thepeople of Bruges and Ghent—Jacques van Artevelde—Hisdeath—Philip van Artevelde—Charles V.—Hisbon mots regarding Ghent—Latin distich, characteristicof the Flemish cities—Siege of Ghent, MadameMondragon—House of the Arteveldes—Hôtelde Ville—The belfry and Roland—The Marché deVendredi—The great cannon of Ghent.	[44]
CHAPTER III.
Manufacture of machinery in Ghent—Great works ofthe Phœnix—Exertions of the King of Holland topromote this branch of art—His success—Policy ofEngland in permitting the export of tools—Effectof their prohibiting the export of machines upon thecontinental artists—Present state of the manufacturesin Belgium—The Phœnix, its extent, arrangementsand productions—The canal of Sas de Gand—TheBeguinage—Tristam Shandy—The churchesof Ghent—Religious animosity of the Roman Catholics—The cathedral of St. Bavon—Chef-d’œuvreof Van Eyck—Candelabra of Charles I—Carvedpulpit—Church of St. Michael—Vandyck’s crucifixion—Thebrotherhood of St. Ivoy—Church ofSt. Sauveur—Singular picture in the church ofSt. Peter—Dinner at M. Grenier’s—Shooting withthe bow—Roads in Belgium—Domestic habits ofthe Flemings—The Flemish language—Count d’Hane—Mansionof the Countess d’Hane de Steenhausen—Galleryof M. Schamps—The Universityof Ghent—State of primary education in Belgium.	[93]
CHAPTER IV.
The market-day at Ghent—The peasants—The linen-market—TheBook-stalls—Courtrai—The Lys—Denys—Distillationin Belgium—Agriculture inFlanders—A Flemish farm—Anecdote of Chaptaland Napoleon—Trade in manure—The Smoor-Hoop—Rotationof crops—Cultivation of Flax—Realimportance of the crop in Belgium—Disadvantageousposition of Great Britain as regardsthe growth of flax—State of her importations fromabroad and her dependency upon Belgium—In thepower of Great Britain to relieve herself effectually—Systemin Flanders—The seed—Singular factas to the Dutch seed—Rotation of crops—Spadelabour—Extraordinary care and precaution in weeding—Pulling—TheRouissage—In Hainault—Inthe Pays de Waes—At Courtrai—The process inHolland—The process in the Lys—A Bleach-green—The damask manufacture in Belgium—A manufactoryin a windmill—Introduction of the use ofsabots into Ireland—Courtrai, the town—Antiquities—TheChurch of Notre Dame—Relic of Thomas àBecket—The Maison de Force at Ghent—TheSystem of prison discipline—Labour of the inmates—Theirearnings—Remarkable story of PierreJoseph Soëte—Melancholy case of an English prisoner—Asugar refinery—State of the trade in Belgium—Curiousfrauds committed under the recentlaw—Beet-root sugar—Failure of the manufacture—Atumult at Ghent—The New Theatre—Cultivationof music at Ghent—Print works of M. Desmet deNaeyer—Effects of the Revolution of 1830 uponthe manufactures of Belgium—Opposition of Ghentand Antwerp to a separation from Holland—M.Briavionne’s exposé of the ruin of the trade incalico printing—Smuggling across the frontiers—Presentdiscontents at Ghent—Number of insolventsin 1839—General decline of her manufactures.	[128]
CHAPTER V.
The railroad—Confusion at Malines—Country betweenGhent and Dendermonde—Vilvorde—The Palaceof Laeken—First view of Brussels—The GrandPlace in the old town—The Hôtel de Ville and MaisonCommunale—The new town—The churches of Brussels—Thecarved oak pulpits of the Netherlands—St.Gudule monuments—Statue of Count F. Merode—Geefs,the sculptor—Notre Dame de la Chapelle—The museum—Palais de l’Industrie—The gallery ofpaintings—The library—Its history—RemarkableMSS.—Curiosities in the museum of antiquities—Privatecollections—Rue Montagne de la Cour—Thetheatre—Historical associations with the Hôtelde Ville—Counts Egmont and Horn—The civilcommotions of Philip II—The fountains of Brussels—TheCracheur—The Mannekin, his memoirs—Fountainof Lord Aylesbury—Dubos’ restaurant—Thehotels of Brussels—Secret to find the cheapest hotelsin travelling.	[186]
CHAPTER VI.
The Belgian revolution has produced no man of leadinggenius—The present ministry—M. Rogier—M.Liedtz, the Minister of the Interior—An interview atthe Home Office—Project of steam navigation betweenBelgium and the United States—Freedom ofpolitical discussion in Belgium—Character of KingLeopold—Public feeling in Brussels—The originalunion of Holland and Belgium apparently desirable—Commercialobstacles—Obstinacy of the King ofHolland—Anecdote of the King of Prussia—The extraordinarycare of the King for manufactures—Prosperouscondition of Belgium under Holland—LesGriefs Belges—Singular coincidence between theproceedings of the repealers in Ireland andthe repealers in Belgium—Ambition for separatenationality—Imposition of the Dutch languageunwise—Abolition of trial by jury—Now disliked bythe Belgians themselves—Financial grievances—Inequalityof representation—Conduct of theRoman Catholics—Hatred of toleration—Attachmentof the clergy to Austria—Remarkable manifestoof the clergy to the Congress of Vienna—Resistance toliberty of conscience, and freedom of the press—Demandfor tithes—Resistance of the priests to thetoleration of Protestants—The official oath—Protest ofthe Roman Catholic Bishops against freedom of opinionand education by the State—Perfect impartiality ofthe Sovereign—Resistance of the priesthood—TheRevolution—Union of the Liberals and Roman Catholics—Intolerantambition of the clergy—Separationof the Clerico-liberal party—Present state of partiesin the legislature—Unconstitutional ascendancy ofthe priests—State of public feeling—Universal disaffection—Curiouslist of candidates for the crown ofBelgium in 1831—“La Belgique de Leopold,” itstreasonable publications—Future prospects uncertain—Vainattempts to remedy the evils of the revolution—Connexionwith the Prussian League refused—Impossibilityof an union with Austria or Prussia—Unionwith France impracticable—Partition ofBelgium with the surrounding states—Possible restorationof the House of Nassau in the event of anyfresh disturbance.	[217]